The company currently has 4,000 birds.

Ostrich Nepal has opened three new farms over the last year—Gangoliya (22 bighas) and Suryapura (70 bighas) of Rupandehi, and Dang (162 bighas).

Besides meat, it also produces eggs and chiks.

The company, which has invested a total of Rs 1 billion, has offered direct employment to 62 individuals, while around 500 have got indirect employment opportunity.

Ostrich Nepal Chairman CP Sharma said more people are getting into small-scale ostrich farming as the domestic production of chicks has reduced investment risk. An adult ostrich weighs up to 250kg and stands 8ft tall. The bird has an average life span of 80 years.

Sharma said the company has now entered the production phase. This Dashain, the company sold 20 tonnes of meat.

To educate people about the ways to cook the meat, the company had made arrangements of preparing the meat at the sales outlets.

The company supplies the meat to places like Rupandehi, Chitwan, Pokhara, Kailali, and Kathmandu, among others.

But the demand is much higher in Kathmandu and Rupandehi, it said, adding sales at larger scales will start from 2016.

In the international market, the meat costs around Rs 7,000 per kg, but the company is offering at Rs 1,500 -2,000 per kg, it said, adding the price would go down significantly once commercial sales begin.

“We are planning to sell ostrich meat at the price of goat meat,” said Sharma. “If we succeed, the domestic price will be far more lower than the international price. This means meat imports will decrease and exports will increase.”